Twisted
by ShinSeiFuji
Summary: Chapter 13 up and almost finished! All these three years, Heero thought Duo was dead, only to find out later that he's suffering a worse fate in an underground slave den. (1 x 2). Please R & R.
1. Prologue

TWISTED 

ShinSeiFuji 

PROLOGUE 

Heero walked in an endless space. He didn't know when it all started, but the journey seemed to have wasted all his life. He was walking without direction. Not knowing where and when to stop. In a path where infinity seems to have ruled. What was beyond was the same empty space he kept on traveling.

A gust of wind blew in his ears. He somewhat knew he was going nowhere, and the idea to stop came to his mind. Heero's usually expressionless face became twisted with mystery, as the wind seemed to have spoken to him. 

_That voice. It's familiar. _

"Hee…o… rrro," the vagueness of the words made Heero's brows cross more. Heero walked to where the voice seems to come from. Slowly, the words became clearer. They were words of desperate longing, agonized in pain.

"Heero…" 

_It's calling my name. _

"Heero…" 

The low tenor of voice was accompanied by sobs as Heero nears his destination. 

Heero's steps became slow and careful as he sensed the presence of the being calling him. He stopped. 

"Heero? Is that you?" 

He stiffened as the voice played a familiar tune to his memory. A figure cleared from the shadows. Heero made a defensive stance, ready for action. 

"Is that you Heero?" the creature asked. 

Heero looked closely. The creature almost seemed… human. It was like a young man enveloping himself digging his face through his thighs and embracing his legs. 

Heero turned away as the decaying body perfumed the air. 

"I've been waiting for you to come… What took you so long?" the creature asked Heero while not looking at him. 

"Who are you?" Heero said in a flat tone. A small trace of nervousness from his voice. 

The creature seemed to wince in pain. "W-why, you don't recognize me now, Heero. Has it been that long?" 

"Who are you?" Heero demanded. Heero looked closely but the creature wouldn't lift his face. Heero's eyes were filled with disgust as he saw the body was a piece of rotting flesh. 

The creature seemed to cry more. "You have forgotten me. Why Heero? Why? Why did you leave me alone? I… I needed you…" 

Heero backed one step as the creature's words ate his mind slowly. Frustration crossed his perfectly outlined face as cold sweat trailed his skin. 

"And now you're turning away from me. Why so cold Heero? Why so cold to me?" 

Heero felt himself chill as a gust of wind accompanied the rapid beating of his heart. 

"No…" was all Heero could say. He wanted to say something, he wanted to defend himself, he wanted to explain, but something held his throat back. 

Guilt. 

The creature slowly stretched his legs, arms supporting its pieces of rotten flesh. It stood, its head still facing down. 

"No… please…" Heero's eyes looked as if tears are welling in his eyes. 

"Please?" the creature neared Heero. "It's not like you… Tell me why, Heero. Why?" 

The creature lifted its head. A skull dripping with blood, with scattered rotting flesh gave Heero impulse to shout. 

Fear? Anger? Guilt… 

"No! DUO!" 


	2. Slave

CHAPTER 1: SLAVE 

Duo coughed hard as he pulled a blanket over his dust-covered skin. He winced in pain as he laid his body on the cold asphalt of his monotonous gray cell. He tried to close his eyes. 

_Heero… _

Duo coughed harder as more dust came through him. He gripped his blanket tighter as felt a cold rush through his spine. 

_It's been three years now… _

Duo stood. He tried to reach for the small sink in his cell. He coughed hard as he tried to remove the dust from his now dirty face. 

_Uh… hygiene becomes the price of living here. _

Duo let a small sigh come out as he finally stopped coughing. He looked at the mirror in front of him. A small frown decorated his lips as he gazed at his reflection. His skin was much paler than before. He had those unwanted eye bags and his cheekbones seem to be more obvious now. His hair seemed to have acquired the color of soot covering the whole place. And, oh… his hair… 

Duo untied his ponytail that was holding his hair back a while ago. Tears somewhat welled up in eyes as he saw his hair strands touch up to his shoulder blade, uneven and messy. 

Duo sighed once more as he returned to the single blanket remaining on the floor. He closed his eyes, playing with his thoughts. 

_I wonder what the others are doing now… I bet Wufei is still on his "justice" thing. Trowa… perhaps in a silent mood, or wearing his carnival mask. Quatre must have been doing all those little kind things of his. Especially for Trowa, I guess. _He sighed. _ And Heero…? In front of his laptop in that damn apartment with no memories of… _

"Hey you! Get up! Someone wants you!" A guard opened Duo's cell. Duo sighed heavily. _Not again… Heero…. _


	3. Took for Granted

Chapter 2: TOOK FOR GRANTED 

"Huh!" Heero gasped and panted heavily as he woke up from his nightmare. Cold sweat ran through his cheek. 

"Duo…" 

He touched his forehead as he felt reality come back to life. He held his blanket tightly and closed his eyes. He thought hard. Slowly, he let lines of pain cover his face. 

_It's this feeling again… Why?*_

Heero felt his chest tighten and move upwards. 

_This… what Quatre calls… _

Heero's heart contracted more as he felt a burning sensation trailed his cheeks. 

_Crying… _

Heero remembers the first time he felt this emotional turmoil. He remembered he was just sitting there, his Prussian blue eyes reflecting the shock he had felt earlier. 

"H-heero? I think you should rest…" Quatre stood near the door of Heero's apartment. 

Heero turned to Quatre, his eyes still the same. Quatre gasped at the moment he saw Heero's eyes. _His eyes… pain is locked in his eyes… Heero's expressing his pain. Could this mean…? _

"Quatre," Heero's low tenor disturbed Quatre's thinking. 

"Yes Heero? Do you need me to prepare you some tea so you could sleep better?" 

Heero ignored Quatre's words and went on. "Did I…?" 

Quatre's face was lined with confusion. He knew what he was going to say. And even he doesn't know what to answer. 

"Did I kill him?" Heero bowed his head. 

Quatre neared Heero. He was hoping he could say the right words, he was hoping he could be of comfort, but he knows he also needs recovering. 

"Of course not Heero…" Quatre was searching for words. "You… you only did what you had to." 

"Then it was my decision that killed him. My decision…" 

"Don't think of it too much, you'll only strain yourself. Maybe you need some…" Quatre stopped. "Heero?" His eyes widened. 

"Heero? Are you… are you crying?" 

Heero lifted his face. His cheeks were wet with tears. 

"What is this? Why this?" Heero questioned. 

Quatre felt the pain his comrade was suffering from. At that moment, he understood fully what the soldier's true feelings are. "Ssshhh," Quatre hushed, "It's just normal. Just let go of that feeling…" 

Heero stood. His memories of the past were haunting him again. He shook his head, trying to ward off his thoughts. 

_It's been three years now. Three years of this hellish nightmare. Damn it, I wanna wake up now. Duo… I guess I took you for granted. _


	4. Another One in the Dust

Chapter 3: ANOTHER ONE IN THE DUST 

Duo swayed his way along the corridors of the long line of cells. 

"Get up, weakling!" the guard gripped his uniform's collar and started dragging him to his cell. Duo could feel the stares at him. They were prisoners alike, slaves in the pitiful den of no escape. He could feel how they sympathize his forlorn appearance, but then all helpless they turn away. The guard pushed Duo back to his cell. "Stay there! And be ready if anyone else wants you!" 

Duo hit hard on the floor. He crawled himself to the single blanket laid. _Damn it, my whole body hurts…_ He closed his eyes as he successfully felt the blanket in his hands. He touched his forehead. _Ugh… these drugs are making me weak._

Duo felt the heavy weight of his eyelids. He began to close them. "Heero… I was a fool. I should have never expected you to love me. If I have learned this earlier, I shouldn't have been here at all," small whispers escaped Duo's lips. "But if given another chance… I know I'll still do what I have done." 

Slowly, his vision of the past engulfed him. He could see himself stand guard near Heero while he hacks the main computer of one of Oz' research bases. 

He was watching him perform the task perfectly, while thoughts ran through his mind. Somehow he sensed that something was about to go wrong, and it urged him to tell just how he felt about him. It was as if he doesn't have any more chances to tell him. Something dictates him to tell it now, but the mission and Heero's probable reaction made him think twice. 

Heero ejected the diskette. He activated the self-destruct sequence and turned to Duo. "Let's go." 

Heero's words woke Duo from his rummaging thoughts. "Oh… uhh… yes…" Duo stammered. He followed Heero from behind, still uncertain of what to do. He shook his head in disagreement to what he was planning to say, but the feeling came to him more. It pinned his heart down, wanting him to stop. Helpless, he followed his heart's desire. "Heero, please wait." 

Heero stopped and turned his eyes to Duo. 

"I… I need to say something," Duo said catching Heero's eyes, but the blank expression on them made him look away. Thoughts confused him again. What Heero would say, how their situation made it worse, what would happen after all of these. He was uncertain, but the feeling he felt was too strong. 

Heero silently watched Duo, waiting for an answer. 

"Duo," he said. Duo's attention was brought back to him. "The self-destruct sequence will start in less than a minute. If we don't hurry, the alarm will sound and they might catch us. I only allotted 30 seconds for the research base to be destroyed, we may not escape." 

Heero's words ate Duo's heart. He was flushed with pain. He bowed his head down, his long bangs covering his watery eyes. 

"If it's nothing connected with the mission, tell it when we're back in our base." 

Heero started running towards the location of Wing, not giving a chance for Duo to say anything more. The alarm sounded and Duo disregarded his mixed emotions. He started running for his life. He caught up with Heero, hiding the tears that tracked his perfectly shaped cheeks. He entered Deatschythe's cockpit and activated it, but the gundam responded slowly. _Kuso… I forgot that this isn't fully repaired yet. I'll have to hold on with this situation._

A pack of soldiers came running and tried to halt the two gundams. Duo sped up, leaving the hangar. A series of gunfire followed, Duo barely escaping them. _If this continues, Deathscythe will overheat. Shimatta…_ Duo said having a hard time. 

"Oi, Heero." Duo appeared on Heero's screen. "This place should have been blown up by now. What happened?" 

"They might have discovered us earlier than we expected. If we don't hurry the Aries mobile suits will start chasing us." 

Duo felt guilty. If it weren't for him, they could have escaped successfully. His feelings started teasing him again, his eyes shouted in protest and began crying. 

"Duo… you're…" Heero was shocked by his comrade's actions. He stood off guard but Duo was busy hiding his tears to see Heero's reaction. 

The sound of an Aries alarmed Duo's ears, while Heero's thoughts made him stand still. 

"Look out!" Duo shouted while two mobile suits started attacking Wing from behind. Duo thrusted his gundam to prevent the Aries from shooting down Wing. 

Deathscythe ate the rapid attacks without defense and a second later Duo was out of control. He jammed the control panel. "No… not now." The metals were beginning to erupt signs of overheat. 

"Duo!" Heero's voice sounded in his ears. 

_I know. I know. It's my fault, stop reminding me of it already. _Duo hesitated on his controls. 

"DUO!!!" 

It was the last thing he heard. He felt bright light conquer his sight and the feeling of heat overwhelmed. He could smell an aroma of fresh blood while his body seem to float in space, pain engulfing him. And then darkness came. 

A tear fell on Duo's blanket, as the thoughts of his last moments with Heero faded away. "I should have died then. Maybe it could have been better. But then I still have to suffer in this place. Worst of all, still in love with Heero…" 

The gate of Duo's cell opened and he pretended to be asleep. _Not again. Don't tell me, it'll be more than three today_, he could hear the guard's sarcastic laugh while he pushes the gate open. 

_Oh please, God, no. I couldn't handle more than what I had today. Besides, these drugs are still killing me._

"Hey idiot, you have a new cell mate!" 

Duo turned. _Someone new?_ he thought. 

The guard smirked. "So you are awake after all. Here he is!" 

Duo looked closely. _It's a young boy. He looks younger than me._

The boy entered the room, looking at Duo. He had a short light blue hair with spiky ends, as if cut forcefully. His big green eyes made contact with Duo's, a pitiful look on his face. 

"From now on, you'll be cellmates… till you die." The guard locked the gate and laughed harder, echoing in the halls until it faded. In the cell, the two remained staring at each other, the future uncertain. 


	5. The Decision

Chapter 4: The Decision 

Heero felt a cold feeling rush through his spine. Realizing his pathetic condition, he decided to take a walk outside. 

"Duo… I killed you," he whispered through the night. 

Heero walked down the memory lane. He began recalling the night Duo had disappeared. 

The explosion of the gundam Deathscythe made him active once more and he began shooting his way out. 

_No. He can't die._

"Heero!" Quatre's voice caught Heero's attention. 

"We're here," Trowa said firing an Aries down. 

"Did you get the data?" a screen popped and Wufei appeared. 

"Hai," Heero answered. 

"Good, let's get out of here," Wufei told him. "Fast. These mobile suits are scattered all over. We won't survive if they are these plenty." Wufei said roughly, counterattacking the mobile suits. Heero remained silent. 

"Where's Duo?" Quatre asked. 

Heero managed to point down despite the confusion. 

Quatre gasped. "Duo!" He tried to examine the gundam from afar. "Heero, I don't think the damage is too serious. The machine still seems to be in one piece." 

Wufei took a look, "I agree. The gundam will be pretty hard to fix, but I think we could still carry Duo with us." An Aries approached Gundam Shenlong from behind firing at Wufei. Wufei saw the mobile suit in time, gaining only a few shots. "If we make it through this." 

Heero sighed in relief. _He won't die. He can't die. _

"We have to make it fast, Heero. We're surrounded, you have to think of a plan," Trowa suggested. 

Knowing Duo is more likely okay, Heero focused on the mission. "Our mission is to get the new type data from the Oz research base it bring it back safely to the base. We should leave Duo here," Heero decided. 

'What? But Heero…" Quatre protested. 

"If we don't make it back, this war will not cease. We have to focus on our mission. Duo is a soldier and he can handle himself." 

"………………Ryokai." Quatre finally agreed. 

Heero's recall ended and he stopped at the sight of the front gate of his destination. 

_I should have known… I'll never see you again._ Heero opened the gate. He made his way inside the grassy lawn. His eyes narrowed as he reached his destination. 

On the ground lay a tablet covered by high grass, looking abandoned for some time. It reads: DUO MAXWELL, Killed in Action. 


	6. No Way Out

Chapter 5: No Way Out 

The young boy smiled nervously at Duo, mixed emotions in his eyes. "O-ohayo…" he said in a frail voice. He walked his way to a corner, shaking from head to toe. 

Duo felt pity as he followed the boy through his eyes. _He looks so young… He shouldn't be in a place like this._ As those words struck Duo's mind, the boy suddenly fell to his knees, his hands grasping for support. Duo rushed to his side. 

"Daijobu?" Duo said holding his shoulder. 

The boy seemed to shake in his touch. "Get off me!" he said shoving Duo's hands off. His breathing became heavy as he sat himself in the corner and began fixing himself. 

_He looks so tired… poor boy._

The boy's eyes reached Duo's. They narrowed as he spoke, "Gomen, I shouldn't have done that. It's just that…" The boy began sobbing and lowered his head. 

Duo smiled. "It's okay, I understand." Duo began stroking his hair and the boy relaxed in his touch. "You know, I never had cellmates before." 

The boy raised his head and looked at Duo. "Have you been long here?" 

Duo smirked. "For as long as I can remember, I've been here for like eternity. But from my calculations, it been three years or so." Duo pointed out the scratches in his cell. 

The boy gasped in amazement, "Three years?" The boy lowered his head. "So, there's no way out…" 

There was a long silence before Duo started talking again. "I haven't introduced myself yet. The name's Duo. Duo Maxwell." 

The boy fixed a stare on him. "D-Duo?" 

"You got that right. Ex-pilot of Gundam Shinigami," Duo sighed as he uttered the word "pilot". 

"You're a Gundam pilot?!" the boy looked at him closely, his green eyes flashing hopefully. "Didn't you try to escape?" 

Duo looked away, "Many times. It's no use, no matter how you try, this underground prison will never let you. You can't even lay a foot outside this cell without being drugged." 

_Besides, even if I got out of this mess, I don't have any place to go…_ Duo thought. _Poor kid, it's gonna be hard for him. I have to cheer him up, at least_. 

"So what's yours?" Duo looked back and smiled weakly at the boy. 

"Huh?" 

"What's your name?" Duo continued. 

"Oh… my name…" the boy's eyes narrowed. 

"What? You don't have one?" Duo said jokingly. 

The boy smiled, "Oh no, my name's Chiaki. It's just that I don't have an interesting history." The boy started to frown once more. "I've been in the slave market since childhood." 

"I see…" was all Duo could say at that moment, his eyes clouded with thoughts. 

_Perhaps, there is no way out…_


	7. A New Mission

Chapter 6: A New Mission 

"Heero…" 

Heero stiffened as he heard a voice in the cemetery. _Am I dreaming?_

"Heero… can you hear me?" A familiar voice echoed in Heero's transmitter. "Where are you? Heero, respond, Heero.?" 

"Hai. This is Heero. What is it, Quatre?" Heero answered. 

"We have a new mission. Go back to the base immediately," 

"Ryoukai. I'll be there in a minute," Heero hurriedly ran to the gate. _A new mission. What could that be? _

Heero ran his way to their base and made his way to the hangar. He found his co-pilots checking their gundams. He stood, catching his breath. 

"There you are," Quatre said as he turned to Heero. "We have reports that Oz is holding an underground prison somewhere in the north. We are to free the prisoners there and return them to a safe place." 

Heero took a look at Wing and began checking its parts. "I see, an underground prison. No exact location yet, huh?" 

"We have to find out for ourselves," Trowa said. 

"It seems to be located near an old Oz research base," Wufei said. "These prisoners are believed to be sex slaves, used by those with power." 

_How inhuman…_ Heero gritted his teeth. "We should start as soon as our gundams are ready." 

"Hai," the other three chorused. "And Heero," Quatre threw an uneasy look to Wufei and Trowa. The two nodded their heads to him. 

Heero eyed them suspiciously. "Hn?" 

"We think Duo is there…" 

Heero's eyes widened in shock. 


	8. Revelation

CHAPTER 7: A Revelation 

A few days have passed, and now more than ever, Duo felt better with Chiaki as his cellmate. Most of the times, the two talked endlessly, sharing their views on life. There are, however, times when the two kept silent. Usually when one of them leaves, returns later with a look that they both understood needed silence. The look of disgrace, suffering, and pain. 

Duo opened his eyes and sat himself up to look around his cell. _He's still not here. He was called three times already. That boy's still weak…_

Duo brushed his hands through his hair. Minutes later he was alarmed by the sound of clunking metal. 

Duo crawled to the cell bars to see if it was Chiaki. He expected to hear the harsh laughter of the guard as the doors flung open. 

"Chiaki!" Duo cried as he was carried unconscious by the guard. To Duo's surprise, the guard carried him in, instead of usually throwing the prisoners about, and laid him gently on the mantel-covered spot of the floor. It was when the guard stood up and headed to Duo that he realized he was different. 

_Hmm… a new guard. What happened?_

"Take care of him, he's wounded," the guard spoke in a rather monotonous voice, handing Duo a small package. Duo tried to eye the soldier, but his cap was covering his eyes. The guard stood and locked the door. As the sound of the guard's footsteps died along with Duo's curiosity, Chiaki moaned in pain. 

Duo rushed by his side. "Chiaki, daijobu?" 

Chiaki's face was lined in pain. Duo caught sight of bloodstains in his arms. He decided to turn him over. 

"Lashes…" Duo said horror-struck. "What happened?" 

Duo remembered the small package the guard had given him. He opened it to find a few bottles of antiseptic and a roll of bandage. 

_Hmm… But they just let their wounded slaves die before, why now?_

Once again, Duo shook the thought off paid attention to Chiaki instead. "I have to tend to your wounds," Duo said as he turned him over again and began unbuttoning his prisoner uniform. 

And then, he stared at him. He looked at his body as if something was not right. It was only when he had rubbed his eyes that he realized what he was staring at. His jaw dropped when an appalling revelation came to him. 

He is a she. Chiaki is a girl. 


	9. I'll Be There

CHAPTER 8: I'll Be There 

The last words of Quatre echoed in Heero's ears. "Duo…" Heero said in shock. He looked flatly at the ground. A moment ago he was visiting his grave, and now Quatre tells him he's alive, in an underground prison, as a sex slave. He felt bitter as the thought came to him. Confused, he rushed to Quatre and shouted in rage, "What do you mean Duo is there? Duo is… is…" The last word remained unspoken in Heero's lips. 

Quatre's eyes showed pity as he disbelievingly looked at his comrade, showing them an unfamiliar behavior. "That underground prison," Quatre managed to say, "is what used to be one of Oz' research bases, the one that we hacked and burned, where Duo supposedly… died." 

"And what? How can you say he's alive, when we buried him, and…" Heero turned away as tears threatened to burst from his eyes. 

"We never found Duo's body! We thought it burned along with the explosion!" Quatre said. "Listen, Heero, there might be a chance that Duo is alive! That's why we're taking this mission!" 

There was a moment of awkward silence before Heero finally spoke, "Tell me where this prison might be." The other three sighed in relief as they proceeded to discussing their orders, yet Heero seemed lost in thought. 

_Duo, if there's any chance you're still alive, I'll find you. I have to know, I want to grasp the truth and relieve myself from this nightmare. Wait for me, Duo, I'll be there this time._


	10. One Last Wish, A True Kiss

CHAPTER 9: One Last Wish, A True Kiss 

Duo sat in one corner of his cell, disbelieving the fact that had just been revealed to him. 

"Chiaki's a girl," he thought. "And I didn't even notice the whole time I was with her." 

Duo threw a look at the sleeping girl opposite him. He had managed to clean and treat her wounds after all, but he wanted her to wake up soon. Soon enough to tell him the truth that lies within the depths of her mysterious personality. He had told her everything, about his childhood, about being a former pilot, and about falling in love with Heero. Yet all she did was listen, listen and never tell her own story. And now, more than ever, Duo wanted to hear it. 

For the first few minutes that Duo recognized her true gender, Duo felt cheated. She had always acted like a boy, no, a man for that matter and even referred to herself as one. But then, they are in an underground prison after all, as sex slaves, and she was so young, so delicate, and he couldn't blame her for trying to become strong. To be strong, yes, perhaps that was her reason. 

Duo's eyes fell on the lashes on her back. He wondered where she could have gotten it. He wondered why she was brought back to her cell by a different guard. And that guard? Who was he? And why did he give him medicine to treat her wounds? All these questions remained unanswered for a while. But hours later, as if Duo's wish came true, Chiaki's body came to rise as she screamed for help. 

"Iiiiiiieeeee!" 

Duo immediately rushed to her side, holding her shoulders as she clutched her chest. 

"Sssshhh, calm down, you're already here," Duo whispered. 

"W-where – Duo? Is that you?" Chiaki tried to feel and see him in the dark. 

"Hai," Duo said, pitying the poor kid. 

As soon as Chiaki heard Duo's confirmation, she plunged herself into his arms and cried continuously, ignoring the pain that her body felt. 

"Hush now, tell me what happened." Duo said softly, stroking her hair with his hands. He tried to stop his tears from falling, he felt pity overcome him, and silently he joined her mourning, as he locked her in a peaceful embrace. To him, she was just a kid, a very young lass who had to experience such pain in that age. Quite oddly, she reminded him of his own childhood. 

"I couldn't do it," Chiaki said in between tears. "I knew I just couldn't do it, and I fought him." 

"Fought who?" Duo asked. 

"That guard, the bastard!" Chiaki cried louder. "And I – I tried to escape, but he was ready to inject the drug to me again. I refused. I fought back, and I felt the syringe in my hands. My vision was blurring, but I knew what I was doing. And I felt the need – the desire, and I struck him with the syringe and everything went haywire." 

"What about those lashes?" Duo inquired again. 

"They punished me, they said I almost killed the guard, and I think I fainted even before I felt the pain of 20 lashes." 

Duo hugged her tighter. Chiaki didn't mind. All she wanted was to be safe in his arms. It was long before they spoke again; they just held each other like that. But then, Chiaki broke the silence. 

"Duo—" she said in a vague voice. "I'm scared. I don't know what's going to happen… I want to be strong… like you." 

"Fear is something we all feel," Duo replied. "And we can't just throw it away. Sometimes, it's even fear that makes us strong. We are all unsure of what lies ahead of us, and it's just normal to be afraid." Duo said, he didn't know what else to say. He wanted to give more assuring words. But he too was afraid, and he wouldn't want to lie to her. "After all, you're still a young girl." 

Chiaki jumped from Duo's words. She broke off from his embrace, a question burning in her eyes. "How -- how did –" 

"I treated your wounds, I couldn't help knowing it," Duo told her even before she could finish off. 

"Oh…" Chiaki said in a low tone. "Gomen, I…" 

There was another awkward silence. 

"Chiaki," Duo said. "Isn't it about time that you tell me about you?" 

Chiaki's eyes narrowed, but her voice was clear when she spoke next. "I tried to fool the slave merchants… tried to make them think that no one would want me as a dirty, skinny boy, so I cut my hair," she sighed. "I really loved it then, it was hip-long and beautifully braided. I always wanted to keep it that way because it reminded me of my childhood friend. He was always happy, always strong…" 

Duo was silent but was remarkably amazed of their similarities. "So you were a slave since childhood?" 

Chiaki continued, "Not really, I was part of an orphanage before." This time, Duo raised his head. "Just like you," Chiaki smiled a little. "But then there was the war and I lost everybody else… We were three then, best friends, but…" 

"I know how you feel," Duo said silently. _I still can't believe that she has suffered all this, such a young kid. Being a slave almost her entire life…_

"Duo," Chiaki said in a tone with a hint of pleading. " I've always had this wish and – " 

"What is it?" Duo asked, he was glad that somehow, if he can make this wish come true, Chiaki would be happy. 

"I've always been a slave, always been used, so I want to feel," she stopped to look sincerely to his eyes, "I want to feel how it is to be kissed by someone I love… and perhaps someone who loves me." 

Duo stared at her for one lingering moment, and the next thing he knew, he drew his face nearer to her and gave her a warm kiss, light and friendly, but full of emotion. 

_What am I doing? What is this I feel? Could this be… no. Perhaps, I too, want to be kissed, longed to feel love in a kiss. I've always been kissed in harsh ways, all these years, all for entertainment of others. But this time, I want love… Love? Could I possibly love her? Love her like I loved…_

Duo and Chiaki broke off their kiss. And as soon as they could see each other clearly again, Chiaki began crying. "Arigatou, thank you so much, you don't know how I've longed to feel a sincere kiss." 

_Is it just pity I feel? Or do I… do I…_

Duo wiped her tears off, he caught her chin, and for the second time he kissed her in a more passionate way. Chiaki was surprised but soon responded to him, locking herself in the bliss of feeling love. 

_I want to know, I **need** to know,_ Duo thought as she held him tighter, deepening his kiss as if there was no tomorrow. 

"LET ME GET MY HANDS ON YOU, YOU BITCH!!!" There was a loud clunking noise, as a familiar guard opened the cell door. 

Chiaki and Duo were both taken aback, as they ran to a corner. Chiaki hysterically shrieked in fear. 

"So… playing with your little friend are you? Well, this time you won't escape!" 

The guard pulled her hair, Chiaki cried in pain. "Iie! Duo! Tasukete!!!" 

"Yamero!" Duo shouted as he tried to attack the guard, only to be struck with a drugged syringe. 

"C-Ch-iaki," Duo uttered in a hoarse voice, as the drug took effect on him, slowing his responses as the guard beat him with his free hand. 

Duo felt blood trickle from his lower lip, as he clutched his stomach in pain. 

"Think you could fight me, huh, idiot! Well you can't! And you might as well die next! Meanwhile, your little lover's gonna die in my hands!" 

Harsh laughter filled the room again as the guard took her by force. "This, is for almost killing me, stupid bitch!" 

Chiaki screamed. "Nooooooo!!! Tasukete! Tasukete kudasai! Anyonnnnnneee!' 

"Leave her alone!" Duo crawled himself to the guard. The guard just kicked him over. 

"No one's gonna come and help you now," 

Duo could hear Chiaki's voice faltering as she too was drugged violently. "Not me…" she said in a low voice. 

"Eh? What now? Are you pleading for my help now? Haha… what a fool you are, kid…" the guard said while pulling the syringe from her blood stained skin. He pulled her hair, dragging her off the cell, and locking it again. He laughed as he pulled her along the hallways, Chiaki's tears and longing for help unheard. 

"Not me," she murmured. "I know I'm gonna die anyway… but please… someone… save Duo! Kami-sama… please…" 


	11. A Taste of What It's Like

CHAPTER 10: A Taste of What It's Like 

"What the…" Wufei said in disgust as he and Heero patrolled the underground prison in guards' uniforms. 

"Sshh… remember to keep a low profile. We're only in the guest's level. We have to reach the slave den unnoticed," Heero said stiffly. 

"Tch, sex dogs," Wufei muttered. 

"Hey, you two!" 

The two stopped and faced the the direction from where the voice was coming. It was a big man in a robe, half naked, but still dressed with gleaming pieces of jewelry. There was a furious look on his face. 

"What the hell is this huh?" He opened the door and revealed a thin and pale girl struggling to breathe. Heero's fist tightened. 

"You gave me a dying dog out here!" the man complained. "You," he said to Wufei, "Get me your boss, and you," he pointed to Heero. "Get this dog out of here and get me a new one! And it better be good!" 

"Sumimasen," they both said in a low voice. Wufei went to another direction while Heero proceeded in the room and carried the girl in his arms. 

"Wait," the man said, when Heero was about to leave the room. He held his arm firmly. "I think you'd be a good one for me." The man grinned. "Forget the dog, how about you and I have a good time? Maybe we can even talk about promotion. What do you think?" 

Heero slowly put the girl down. "I think," Heero said as he stood up. "This is good enough for you!" he said putting his fist right into the man's face. He knocked him off to sleep. 

The alarm sounded as soon as the man fell down. 

"Heero!" Quatre exclaimed running towards him with the other two pilots. "We found the blueprints of this place, we know where the slave den is. The self-destruct system has been activated, too. Don't worry we've got time. We just have to fight our way to the deepest level." 

Heero nodded. "I found this girl too, I think she needs…" Heero turned to the girl but found her motionless with her eyes open. 

_Duo… stay strong. Don't let this happen to you. I'll be there, I promise. Just wait._

Heero brushed his hand across the girl's face to close her eyes and quietly said, "Rest in peace." 

He stood up and turned to his co-pilots. 

"We have to hurry." 


	12. Between Life and Death

CHAPTER 11: Between Life and Death 

Duo felt the cold cement against his skin when he opened his eyes. He had fallen asleep. But he woke up to a nightmare. 

His whole body ached and he winced as he tried to sit himself. "Ugh… what happened?" He felt dizzy. "Damn drug," he was numbed and pained at the same time. 

"What the hell happened?" Duo said as he ran his fingers through his hair, as he tried to position himself against the wall. He reached out for the blanket lying near him. 

"Clank!" Duo heard an object hit the floor as he pulled the blanket. 

"What's this?" he said as he picked it up. It took a while before he realized that what he was holding was a metal crucifix with a broken chain. He examined closely. Somehow his heart started beating wildly. It looked very familiar. Too familiar that it pained him for realizing too late.

Taking a deep breath, he turned the cross over. There at the bottom part of the metal crucifix were three roughly etched names…

SOLO

DUO

CHIAKI

"Iie… you have to be kidding… why now?"

The cross was cold against his skin. And his hands shook as he remembered the things Chiaki told him.

"I really loved it then, it was hip-long and beautifully braided. I always wanted to keep it that way because it reminded me of my childhood friend. He was always happy, always strong… Not really, I was part of an orphanage before… But then there was the war and I lost everybody else… We were three then, best friends, but…" 

Duo put the cross against his chest. "Why didn't I remember? Why didn't I recognize her from the beginning? Why didn't Chiaki… Wait. Chiaki. Chiaki's in trouble!!"

Just then, the alarm started sounding.

"I have to get out here, fast!" Duo tried to carry his limping body to the gate. "Let me out! LET ME OUT!!"

He shook the bars violently, but they didn't even budge. He thrust himself towards them. He punched as much as he could, he was rattling the gate violently, but it only made him weak.

"Please… I don't want to lose someone again…" He said as he finally sank down to his knees.

He was facing the ground, all hope lost, tears running across his face…

…But the gate opened.

It was no mistake. He heard the heavy metal open. And he saw two familiar shoes before him.

"You're…"

The man pointed to something. Duo was so overwhelmed that he couldn't clearly see or hear what was going on. All he knew was that the alarm kept sounding, and everybody seemed to be in a hurry. Everybody seemed to be in distress, but he can feel no pain. He felt healed, he had hope.

"That way, that old elevator will take you up easier. Chiaki's above."

"You're the guard who gave us medicine… But why are you doing all this?"

"You have to hurry," the guard answered. "There's not much time left."

Duo realized what he meant. He rushed past the swarm of people trying to get out. Prisoners have been released, it made no sense to him. He didn't know what was going on, but now's he only chance to find Chiaki.

He stopped. He looked back, the guard was still standing from where he was before. He couldn't see his face nor his eyes, but he knew he was looking at him.

"Thank you!" Duo shouted. And he ran past the people, struggling between life and death. 


	13. Darkness

CHAPTER 12: DARKNESS

The elevator was old and rusty, a proof of being unused for a long period of time. _I wonder where this elevator takes me to._

Duo saw a lever and pulled it. A few seconds later and he heard some sort of engine purring. The elevator had started moving.

_Please, take me there faster._

Duo sat himself for support. _Don't die Chiaki. Please wait for me. _

It wasn't long before the elevator started making noises again. And to Duo's right, an iron gate swung open.

_I'm here! I'm on top!_

He hurried outside. "CHIAKI!!!"

Duo started running but his bare feet failed him. They hurt like hell. "Kuso…"

He looked at the ground he was standing on. Snow. Everything was covered in snow. And his feet were getting numb.

"Chiaki! Where are you?!" Duo started to move again, but he could only walk.

_Damn! Is this the right place?_ He was starting to have doubts.

"Bang!" A familiar sound catched Duo's ears. _Was that…?_

"Bang! Bang!" Two more filled the air.

_Gunshots!_

"Chiaki! Chiaki, tell me where you are!!!" Duo sprinted across the snowy ground. Snowflakes were beginning to fall and his body ached more than ever.

"Chiaki! Damn it! Where the hell did you take her! Chi—" Duo gasped. He refused to believe it. And he thought his eyes were just playing tricks on him. But it was a reality that he could not escape.

"Chiaki," he cried.

It would have been perfect. The child of pale blue hair with her green eyes half-closed, was like a princess sleeping in the snow-covered ground. She looked like a fairy,a snow queen.

But her eyes showed fear. And her mouth was left open. And the snow was colored crimson instead.

Duo couldn't bear to move at all… he was just staring at her. It was as if all his effort was useless. His sole reason to keep on living was now dead.

"Bang!" another gunshot.

Duo felt rage overcoming him.

"Bang!" There was another.

"Die, bitch, die… Hahaha… look you're all bloody," it was the guard who took Chiaki away, whose eyes now reflected overwhelming madness. He kept on smiling and laughing, while firing at the already dead Chiaki.

"You bastard!!" Duo jumped onto him. The gun in the guard's hands flew. He felt himself give in. He was becoming mad himself.

He wrestled him to the ground, til he was on top of him. And he kept punching him in the face.

"Don't you have any respect? She's already dead, idiot! And yet you keep on firing at her! You're sick! Why did you even kill her?! She was the only one I had left! You bastard! Bastard…"

Duo panted heavily, and he let go of the weary guard. Tears. He was already crying.

"Why did you have to kill her…" he said in tears. His hands were already numb in pain. He felt he had no strength to beat him up anymore.

The guard coughed out blood. He too, was tired. But he had the strength to pull a syringe out from his pocket. Duo didn't even notice this was happening. He thought he had control over him, since he was on top, but he was mourning too hard that the world didn't seem to matter.

"Because…" the guard said. "She's a whore like you are. And you're gonna die too."

Duo felt the painful sting. He winced in pain. He was choking.

"How do you like that?" the guard said as he pushed Duo off. "That's the pure drug, you know. No other solution added. That must be really painful…"

Duo's body was reacting violently.

"But I wouldn't prefer that you die that way. I wouldn't let that medicine kill you, you know. You have to die in my hands," the guard picked up the gun.

"Now who did you call bastard? Let's see if you'll still survive this one," he pulled the collar of Duo's uniform and pointed the gun to his head.

_So what if I die? What's there to live for anyway? I'm tired… too tired… _Duo thought.

There was another gunshot. And Duo's vision blurred as he felt his body fall.

He closed his eyes, and let everything just slip away… until he felt two arms give him support.

Duo opened his eyes once more. And in his blurry vision, he could see another guard's uniform, and he could hear him whisper his name.

"Duo…"

"You're…" Duo said softly, "…that guard… again, but why? You even know our names… and… hey, I can see you're face now… you're…"

He was like the sun. He was shining, with his eyes and hair of gold.

"…Solo."

And it was darkness again.


	14. Wings

CHAPTER 13: Wings

"BANG!" 

Heero fired his gun. He was a bit confused as of the moment. Just a minute ago he was in the lowest level. Searching, hoping to find Duo. He had lost track of his comrades due to the massive people going haywire, trying to finally escape the cursed dungeon.

Unfortunately, he couldn't find Duo, or even one who resembled him. He tried to push his way through, shouting Duo's name as loud as he could, but the crowd only led him to a old elevator shaft. Without control, Heero was dragged up, back outside again, in the field of snow. 

And now there he was, in the middle of an unknown territory, thinking if what he had just done was necessary. 

He had shot someone -- a guard, so it seems by the uniform. He didn't know why, but he impulsively took out his gun and shot at the man. The guard was aiming at someone, someone his blurred vision didn't allow him to recognize, as snow came falling in a more rapid intensity than before. 

He ran towards the direction of the fallen bodies, and while getting nearer, he realized there were three bodies lying on he ground.

One was the guard he had just shot, another was a girl covered in blood. Heero clenched his fist as he saw that she died in a state of shock and fear.

Finally he looked at the third body, which oddly looked familiar to him. Only he was too frail, too thin, and his hair was shorter. 

But it was him. And he realized it too late. 

"Duo!" Heero reached for him but his body suddenly stumbled out of the way. 

Harsh wind blew in his direction.

"What the…" Heero said as he tried to open his eyes.

"I'm taking them with me," a voice said.

The wind stopped. Heero opened his eyes to see another guard standing in front of him. But this time, his eyes and hair were golden. He was holding Duo in his arms.

"Give him back!" Heero said, while he aimed his gun at the guard. "I said give him back!" But the guard didn't move. He simply closed his eyes.

            "Bang!" Heero fired his gun. He saw the bullet course through the guard's head. But something was wrong. He didn't bleed. He didn't fall down. 

            "That won't do anything," the guard said. 

            "Wha…" Heero stuttered. "What are you?"

            Heero could not believe his eyes. But in a gust of wind, something sprung out of the guards back… something called wings. 


End file.
